It's not one of the proudest moments that the Flyers have ever had, but it's certainly one of the most memorable. In a regular season game against Ottawa back in 2004, the Flyers and Senators went at each other late in the third period. The Flyers had the game in hand, and it turned ugly in a hurry. Twenty players were ejected as the Flyers finished up a 5-3 win. Philadelphia had 213 minutes of penalties and Ottawa rang up 206, for a combined 419 penalty minutes, the most in NHL history.
99. Placido Polanco collects career hit #2,000 with a home run-May 14, 2012
One of the more recent moments on the list, and probably the only one that's going to involve this year's Phillies team. Placido Polanco returned to the Phillies following the 2009 season and became a fan favorite once again. Coming into this season, Polacno was coming up on the 2,000 hit plateau in his career, a mark that very few major league players ever reach. After struggling to start the season, Polanco started to come on, and on a rainy night against the Houston Astros, Placido launched a ball into the left field stands at Citizens Bank Park for his 2,000th career hit. The game was all but over before the home run was hit, but it was a great moment to see a fan favorite in Polanco reach the milestone in that fashion. This moment is a little more special to me, since I was actually at that game, and the ball landed two sections from where I was sitting.
98. The 2011-12 Sixers finish the season above .500 for the first time in seven years
Another recent moment, but one that I think is going to carry some impact moving forward. Coming into this past season, expectations were higher for the Sixers, but they had recent history going against them. Since their NBA Finals run back in the 2000-01 season, the Sixers had finished above .500 just two times and won exactly one playoff series. Thanks to a 20-9 start and a few lucky breaks against the Bulls in the first round, both of those things happened for the Sixers this year. There's some other moments from this season that are higher on this list, but none of them would have happened had the Sixers not grown as a team from last year's 41-41 record and actually achieved a winning mark this season.
97. Tie Domi fights a Flyers fan-March 29, 2001
Once again, not exactly what you would call a proud moment from the Flyers, but one that is quite memorable. In a late season game way back in 2001, Toronto enforcer and overall goon Tie Domi was sent to the penalty box for something that no one really remembers. What they do remember is what happened afterwords. A Flyers fan, as they are wont to do, was getting on Domi's case. Words were exchanged, something may or may not have been thrown in Domi's direction and then Domi sprayed his water bottle at the fans. What happened next was the stuff of drunken legend. Another fan, not the one that got sprayed, began to pound on the penalty box glass, and it gave way under his weight, launching him at Domi. Domi got some shots in on the confused fan, who was quickly taken away by security. In the end, Domi was fined $1,000 (the max fine at the time), and the Flyers were fined and given a severe warning about their in house security. Only in Philadelphia, I guess.
96. The 2011 Phillies set a franchise record for wins
The 2011 Phillies season didn't end the way that any Phillies fan wanted it to, but the road to the playoffs that year gave most of us the best ride that we'd ever seen. Thanks to a rotation of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Roy Oswalt and a surprising rookie named Vance Worley, the Phillies had their best regular season ever. The Phils were in first place from April 27 until the end of the season and clinched the team's first 100 win season since the 1977 season. Their 102nd and franchise record setting win came on the last day of the regular season against the Braves in 13 innings, and also had the added bonus of knocking the Braves out of the playoffs. Of course, knowing what we do now, having the Braves in the playoffs might not have been the worst idea, but winning 102 games in a single regular season was pretty amazing to watch, despite the end result.
95. Charles Barkley wears #32 to support Magic Johnson after his HIV announcement-1991-92 season
The 1991-92 season was the last in Philadelphia for Charles Barkley, but the always outspoken Round Mound of Rebound went out with a classy finish. Rather than wear his traditional #34 during the season, Barkley asked, and got permission from the Sixers to wear Billy Cunningham's retired #32 jersey in support of Magic Johnson, who had retired just before the season due to his positive HIV diagnosis. For all of the controversial things that Barkley said and did during his NBA career, showing support to one of the greatest players of all time at one of his lowest moments was a true class act, and one that should be remembered much more than it is. Barkley also came out and said he had no problems playing basketball with Magic, and finished his final year with the Sixers averaging 23.1 points and 11.1 rebounds per game.
94. The Eagles retire Tiki Barber-January 7, 2007
Any time a Philadelphia team is last team a player faces, I feel a little joy inside, especially when the Philadelphia team wins. When it comes to Tiki Barber, who had killed the Eagles throughout the years while playing with the Giants, I could only hope I would get to feel that joy again. The Giants had finished the 2006 season at 8-8, and earned a date with the 10-6 Eagles in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. After splitting their two matchups in the regular season, no one expected a runaway from either team, and they were right. Jeff Garcia guided the Eagles to a 17-10 halftime lead and a 20-10 lead going into the fourth quarter, but Eli Manning showed his comeback skills once again against the Eagles, tying the game at 20 with just five minutes to go. Fortunately, Garcia had one last run in him, and he guided the Eagles down field and setup a David Akers field goal attempt with three seconds to go. Barber finished the day with 137 yards on 26 carries, but it wasn't enough. The Eagles won and advanced and Tiki's career was over. The Giants would survive, to say the least, however.
93. Eric Lindros wins the 1995 Hart Trophy for MVP
The name Eric Lindros normally doesn't bring up the best emotions for Philadelphia fans, but for a while he was on pace to be one of the best players in NHL history. After two great seasons, Lindros helped guide the Flyers back to the playoffs for the first time since the 1988-89 season in 1995. At just 21 years of age, Lindros led the NHL in points with 70 during the lockout shortened 1994-95 season. For his efforts, Lindros won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's MVP, and the Flyers began their recovery to respectability. While Lindros didn't win a Stanley Cup with the Flyers, and his exit from the team was messy at best and soap opera like at worst, his early seasons were some of the best in team history, and his MVP season showed what he could do at his best.
92. Allen Iverson delivers the game ball before Game 3-May 4, 2012
While most NBA pundits are quick to toss out the Sixers' series win against the Chicago Bulls this season, the fact of the matter is that the Sixers did beat the best regular season team in the NBA in the first round of the playoffs. After splitting the first two games in Chicago, the Sixers returned home for Game 3, and waiting for them was Allen Iverson. In front of a sold-out crowd at the Wells Fargo Center, Iverson delivered the game ball to center court and finally got the sendoff that he so rightly deserved. After giving up his body for the team for almost a decade, Iverson received a standing ovation from the Philadelphia crowd, and was quite emotional about the entire experience. Whether you love Iverson or hate him, you had to love how the Sixers, and their fans, reacted for that moment. The Sixers also helped by winning Game 3 and taking a 2-1 series lead.
91. The Phillies beat the Brewers in Game 1 of the 2008 NLDS-October 1, 2008
Before the Phillies became the "World F***ing Champions" in 2008, they had to go through the National League playoffs. Waiting for them in the Divisional Series were the Milwaukee Brewers, who were making their first playoff trip since the 1982 season. After being swept by the Colorado Rockies in the NLDS in 2007, the Phils were back following another come from behind season, taking the division with only a few days left to play in the regular season. Cole Hamels started the game and was brilliant, pitching eight shutout innings and striking out nine in a glimpse of what was to come during the playoffs that season. Chase Utley's two run double and Shane Victorino's bases loaded walk in the fourth inning were all that Cole needed during the game, and despite allowing a run in the ninth inning, Brad Lidge stayed perfect on the 2008 season and picked up his first save of the playoffs. Yes, the Phillies would have many, many more memorable moments during the championship run that year, but without that first win, none of them would have happened. Plus, this was the first playoff win for the Phillies in 15 years, and my brother and I were at the game and met Howard Eskin. Even without the last part, it was a great experience to be a part of live.
That's the first ten on my list. Coming up from numbers 90-81, we've got a no-hitter, two playoff overtime goals and moments involving the Eagles and two divisional rivals. It's going to be fun.
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